


Danganronpa Unofficial: Unreal Horizon

by Dragon_King_Dari



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Fan Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), Fanganronpa, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:21:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24529792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragon_King_Dari/pseuds/Dragon_King_Dari
Summary: Hope's Peak Prep School? Whoever heard of such a thing? But apparently that's the destination for this classroom of Ultimates, before they ever get to set foot inside Hope's Peak Academy itself. But that's not all that's suspicious here- as soon as they find themselves inside this prep school, these sixteen Ultimates are thrown into an all-new killing game! Their only guides in this place are the treacherous black-and-white bear, and me, their canine companion! How will things unfold from here? I guess we can only read and find out.
Kudos: 2





	1. The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the beginning of the end.

_My world is ending._

That's the only thought that kept searing through my mind and engraving itself inside me. I had just the foggiest idea of what was going on around me as I lay there, my brain growing dim and slipping in and out of consciousness. Screams rang out from every corner of the room. Mechanical whirs sliced at the air, continuously broken by a series of staccato thuds. 

I had the feeling I should be doing more. Helping. Anything.

But I couldn't move. My body refused to cooperate, and even my mind seemed to spiral off into a black hole, completely out of my reach. It was a strange sensation, feeling myself slip away, yet unable to do anything about it. I could only lie helpless while people's shouts became dull roars in my ears, and blackness tugged at the corners of my vision. 

Then, someone came face-to-face with me. 

Before I knew it, there was a boy glaring me down. His red hair was tousled, and sweat clung to his flushed face as he struggled to catch his breath. His intense eyes seemed to bore a hole through me, and when he spoke, his words came out in a harsh bark. “Hey… You’re not seriously going to give up just like that, are you?” 

I didn’t respond. I couldn’t.

“Understand?” He nudged me roughly, trying to urge me up to my feet. “You’re the one who needs to help everyone else. So you better not lose it on me!”

Then he disappeared. A sudden clang echoed as something hard and metal crashed where his head had been just moments earlier. I tried to call out to him, but it did just as much good as before. I pleaded with myself to move, but my body felt like lead. 

That moment was the last thing I remembered before I lost myself completely. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! Monoshi/Dogbot here! Now please forgive me, as I'm completely new to this website, but I'll be trying my best to navigate my way around. This fan killing game is something I've wanted to do for a while now, so I hope you'll all enjoy it! Please leave me your feedback as the chapters start to get longer and more is revealed. This is just a taster of sorts, so if it piques your interest, please do stay tuned!


	2. Prologue: Shiori, Monoshi, Sachiko

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our hero wakes up only to find herself somewhere completely unfamiliar. She graciously offers to help me find the rest of her classmates- and runs into someone unexpected!

For some reason, when I wake up, I feel like I’ve just had the best sleep of my life. I can’t figure out why this is yet, but I sit up as soon as strength returns to my muscles. As soon as I do, I’m greeted with my first shock of the day.

I am sitting on a bed, but it’s certainly not my own. The sheets are a bright embroidered green, and the mattress feels just a little too new, like no one’s ever slept on it before me. Actually, the more I look around, the whole room starts to feel oddly sterile, with blank blue walls and empty shelves. As far as I can tell, it looks like I’m inside a school dorm. “What?” I mutter aloud to no one. “When did… ?”

My brain feels a little fuzzy, which I attribute to grogginess, so I take a few moments to myself to recall how I got to this point. To my concern, each time I try to grasp the memories, I always come up frustratingly blank. _What the hell happened?_

But my thoughts are interrupted by a knock on the door. Grasping onto what I hope is my chance to make sense of things, I lift myself up from my bed and hurry to answer it. And what greets me is…

“Oh, thank goodness! I found someone!”

“Gyaaaah!” I let out an involuntary scream of alarm.

Coming to my senses, I blink a couple times, thinking that maybe I was seeing things incorrectly. But no, without a shadow of a doubt, I’m looking down at a moving, talking plush dog. Its colors are split into two separate halves, one a creamy pale, the other a deep tan. The thing’s ears are perked, and it looks up at me expectantly with beady eyes- one of which, I notice, is blue. It raises its stubby paws toward me in a sign of nonaggression. “Hey, hey, calm down! Don’t freak out! I’m not one of the bad guys, I promise!”

I just stare blankly back at it. “But… what even are you?”

The dog’s ears droop. “That’s kind of rude… But I won’t hold it against you. You are stressed right now, after all.” Almost in a heartbeat, he bounces back and his optimistic tone returns. “Anyway, I’m Monoshi! Your friendly robo-canine who’s here to help you out!”

The wheels in my head are spinning out of control at this point. Already this is a lot for me to process. “But more importantly…” Monoshi adds, noticing my expression, “you do know who you are, right?”

“I…” I clear my throat. “I’m Shiori, of course. [Shiori Akiyama](https://www.deviantart.com/maridaydragon/art/DR-UO-Shiori-Akiyama-845485167).”

I’m a girl in high school who recently got accepted into Hope’s Peak Academy, a school for elites that come from various fields of study. The last concrete thing I remember was receiving the letter in the mail, and my sheer shock and exhilaration as I realized I’d been invited to join as one of these “Ultimate” students for the coming school year. “But why wouldn’t I know who I am?” I ask Monoshi, my eyes narrowing.

“That’s…” His ears flatten. He puts one stuffed paw to his mouth in consideration and avoids my gaze. “Well, I’ll explain that part once I have everyone gathered together.” Only then does he look back at me. “Speaking of which, do you mind helping me find everyone else? That would make things a lot easier on my end!”

 _So there’s others here,_ I think. “Sure, I’ll help you.”

Monoshi starts hopping gleefully up and down, his artificial tail wagging away. “Thank you, thank you! You’re the best, Shiori!” He whirls around, leaving me standing in the doorframe. “Okay, I’ll go down this hall, and you check the other one. Then we’ll all meet up in the MPR after we’ve found all your classmates!” He offers me a second’s glance backward. “Sound good? Good!”

Then, without waiting for a response, Monoshi bolts down the hallway, his feet making soft padding sounds across the floor. I watch him go, acknowledging I’ve been officially saddled with this strange mission. _Well,_ I reason, _better to go find the others and figure out what’s going on here together._

As I wander down the other hallway, dimly lit by a few bulbs above my head, I take the time alone to think some more. I observe each door, all decorated with an unfamiliar name and minimalist portrait apiece. _Monoshi called them my “classmates,” so… Does that mean they were also chosen for Hope’s Peak?_ Along the way, I try knocking on each door I pass, but none yield any response so far. _Well, of course they’re not here. Otherwise Monoshi would have found them already._

But to my shock, when I reach the end of the hallway, I find myself facing one of the doors, and recognizing the name printed across it. I do a double-take to make sure I saw it right. _[Sugitani, Sachiko](https://www.deviantart.com/maridaydragon/art/DR-UO-Sachiko-Sugitani-845486353?ga_submit_new=10%3A1592164185)… Sachiko?! _

I knock on the door right away, anxiously waiting for an answer. To my relief, it doesn’t take long before I hear shuffling inside, as if someone’s rising out of bed. The next second, the door opens, and a familiar voice starts from the other side. “I’m here, I’m here! Who are you? What am I doing-”

The door swings open fully, and I get a good look at Sachiko. Her brown hair is a tangled mess, which is no surprise, and she’s pulling her large, fluffy jacket tightly around her. Her jaw drops when she sees me. “Shiori? Is that you? Holy crap!” She starts to bounce up and down excitedly on her heels. “You remember me, right?”

“I could never forget you,” I say with a laugh. Sachiko had been my best friend throughout childhood. We had unfortunately parted ways when she had switched to an online school, but now here she was, and I couldn’t believe my eyes.

“Hope’s Peak, huh?” Sachiko’s eyes glinted cheerfully, and she nudged my arm. “I always knew you were destined to end up here one day. C’mon, spill it! What’s your Ultimate?”

Sachiko has always been rooting for me, ever since we were kids, and I guess she wasn’t wrong. If I’m particularly well-known for one thing, it’s my skills in organization and leadership. Ever since I was young, I believed that if you want to see change in the world, you had to start taking the steps yourself. I was at the head of a lot of small-scale organizations throughout my school years, planning school events, cleaning the campus of trash, and so on. I even managed to score a position on the student council in junior high. In Hope’s Peak’s eyes, this made me…

“I’m the Ultimate Coordinator,” I tell Sachiko, allowing the slightest bit of pride into my voice. “What about you?”

“Oh, you know... I was scouted for my natural singing ability!” Sachiko beams at me, a note of jest in her voice. She then goes on, “That’s right, I was just walking down the street, sharing my gift with the world, when I happened to walk by a couple of guys from Hope’s Peak. They grabbed me by the shoulders, looked me in the eye, and told me, ‘Kid, we want to make you a star.’”

I chuckle. “Cute. But what’s the real story?”

“Alright, alright, you got me!” She holds up her hands helplessly. “The truth is, I got in through a lottery.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yep!” Sachiko goes right back to smiling. “They said I was the Ultimate Lucky Student! And I guess I might be even luckier than I thought, huh?”

“I’d say we’re both lucky,” I agree.

“This is the day my new life officially begins!” Sachiko looks ready to burst with enthusiasm. “Look out, world, ‘cause here comes the new and improved Sachiko Sugitani!”

 _That’s the Sachiko I remember, alright._ I realize a lot of my tension has evaporated into the air the moment I ran into her here. Even if everything else is so screwed up, it’s good to know I can at least count on someone in this place. “Okay,” I tell her, “I’m looking for everyone else. Do you want to come with me?”

“Oh, definitely!” she agrees. “I’m interested to see who else is going to school with us.”

I’m still not entirely sure we’re really at school, but I don’t have the heart to correct her just yet. No need to start infecting her with my own worries, not right now. So the two of us just set off together, intending to leave the comfortable and dim hallway behind. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Monoshi/Dogbot here! This will be more difficult than I thought, but I'll still do my damnedest to keep a consistent upload schedule. The introductions should be easy enough to do quickly, but please be patient with me! Also, one more thing I intend to do is draw up visuals for each character. Once I finish those, I'll either edit previous chapters to include them, or insert them later on. But that should help you visualize the characters in the story better!
> 
> UPDATE: Edited the chapter with visuals of each character to match!


	3. Prologue: Fumiya, Rianu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once out of the dorm rooms, the location starts to make itself a bit more known... And thankfully, Shiori and Sachiko aren't the only ones here!

But just as we turn the corner, we nearly crash into a boy coming from the opposite direction. He lets out a startled “Wauuugh!”

“Aah!” I flinch backward and almost run into Sachiko, who manages to step aside in time. 

“Jeez, don’t startle me like that!” The boy shakes his head. “I’m trying to find other people!” It takes him a couple seconds of pause, but his eyes suddenly light up. “... Wait, other people!” 

I resist the urge to sarcastically applaud him. He continues, “Oh, thank god. This place is a total ghost town! In fact, I think I’ve started hallucinating. I saw a plush dog run past me not too long ago!” 

“No, that’s real,” I assure him. “I saw that too.”

The boy’s eyes practically bug out. “Seriously?”

“Maybe both of you are just going crazy at the same time!” offered up Sachiko from beside me, resisting the urge to snicker behind her hand. 

I roll my eyes at her. “Anyway,” I say to the boy, “I’m Shiori Akiyama, and this is Sachiko Sugitani. And you are?” 

“Ah, yeah, of course, of course!” he replies immediately. “Name’s [Fumiya Nakauchi](https://www.deviantart.com/maridaydragon/art/DR-UO-Fumiya-Nakauchi-845487064?ga_submit_new=10%3A1592164565).” 

_Fumiya Nakauchi, huh?_ I think to myself. _Hmm…_ “By any chance, do you have an Ultimate talent?” I ask, having a good idea of the answer already. I’m starting to piece together some of the situation in my mind, though still lacking many of the important details.

“Oh, yeah, duh! That’s important, too!” He slaps the side of his head. “Stupid Fumiya.”

“It’s alright, really,” I reassure him.

“Well, let’s see…” Fumiya puts a hand up to his chin. “People call me the Ultimate Architect, but…” 

“Ultimate Architect? Are you serious?” Sachiko interjects out of nowhere. “So you can make buildings? Cities? Skyscrapers?” 

“... but I haven’t gotten to actually _build_ anything yet,” Fumiya finishes matter-of-factly.

“... Oh.”

Fumiya reveals a pen from inside his pocket. “I’ve always had a passion for building stuff, ever since I could hold one of these,” he says with a glint in his eye. “Hell, probably even before that. I think it must run in my blood or something.” He clicks the pen a few times, as if making sure it still works. “Anyway,” he continues, “through a bit of networking, I guess I just got the right people to look at my sketches. And the next thing I know, here I am!”

“That’s pretty impressive, though,” I can’t help remarking. “Turning a passion you’ve had since you were young into a full-fledged career. I’ve always admired people who could do that.”

Fumiya lowers his head and cups his cheeks, as if trying to hide his blush. “Well, now you’re about to be one of ‘em yourself!” he retorts with a smile as he glances back up at me. “So don’t count yourself out, alright? I know I won’t!”

“I like this guy already!” Sachiko comments

“Just you guys wait,” Fumiya tells us with a determined grin. “Once I really get started building, you’ll all be blown away!”

“I look forward to it,” I say. My eyes wander around the room, over each of the walls imprisoning us. “I mean… assuming we’re not trapped here with something worse about to happen.”

“What the-?” Fumiya flinches. “Hey! Quit crushing my dreams!”

“Yeah, quit crushing his dreams!” Sachiko echoes. I can tell I’m outnumbered on this one, so I decide to quietly surrender for now. 

Then, Fumiya’s eyes suddenly widen. “Crap! What am I doing? I can’t just stay and chat; I gotta chase down that dog and see if it really was real! Maybe then I can get a clue as to what the hell’s going on around here!”

Before Sachiko or I can even say a word, he takes off sprinting down the hall. We’re left listening to his frenzied footsteps fade away and soon disappear. I’m slightly relieved after talking to him, though. _He seems well-intentioned, at least… If kind of absentminded._ I can only hope the other captives, wherever they may be, are as cooperative. 

We step out of the dimly lit hallway, and have to squint as the sudden brightness pierces our eyes and blinds our vision. Once I get my bearings, I take a good look at the main halls, a stark contrast to the cozy carpeted dorm hallway we were just in. The layout of them is beyond bizarre. Each one has walls painted in a different color- purple, blue, yellow, and red- and they seem to twist and turn before us like snakes in ways no school would have ever constructed. “Oh, jeez…” mutters Sachiko. “Why would anyone do this? I’m gonna get so lost on my way to class…” 

“This place is huge,” I agree. I take a few cautious steps forward. Being closer doesn’t make the hallways look any less disorienting, or their color coding any less garish and unnecessary. “What kind of school is set up like this?” 

“I guess that’s why it’s the school of Ultimates,” a soft voice sounds from nearby. “Everything about it is unique, even its design.” 

We instantly whirl around toward the speaker, a delicate-looking girl in a pink skirt. Her eyes are large and doe-like, emphasized by the bright lights of the room. “Maybe so,” I say, “but this isn’t really practical. How is anyone supposed to find their way around and get to class on time?” 

The girl nods slightly, but I can’t tell if she’s really paying attention to me. Her gaze slides past us and lazily drifts around, as if watching something no one else can see. She stays silent for so long I’m tempted to snap to get her attention, before saying, “Still, it’s like… something no one’s ever done before, right? Like a maze inside a dreamland… I could explore it for hours, seeing what’s inside.” 

She suddenly snaps to attention, blinking and focusing on me. “Oh yeah, I almost forgot…My name is [Rianu Kaneshita](https://www.deviantart.com/maridaydragon/art/DR-UO-Rianu-Kaneshita-845488134?ga_submit_new=10%3A1592165088). I’m the Ultimate Craftswoman.” 

“Ultimate Craftswoman, huh?” _Another Ultimate,_ I note.

Rianu’s cheeks turn pink, and her face falls into a pout. “I know what you’re about to say. It might sound silly, but I put a lot of heart into what I make.” 

“I literally got into the school through a random drawing,” Sachiko says tonelessly. “How could I possibly call anyone else’s talent silly? Please continue.”

Rianu’s face brightens. “Oh, well, since you’re interested… Let’s see…” Her eyes start to wander again. “I mostly make jewelry and dolls, but recently I’ve been learning how to sew.” A dreamy smile illuminates her features. “Guess I’m just a lost little butterfly, fluttering from place to place… Maybe I’ll find somewhere to settle, maybe not… That’s life, I guess.” 

I’m not quite sure how to respond to that. Luckily, Sachiko takes over for me. “Speaking of butterflies, I really like your hair clip!” she says, pointing to the winged barrette nestling just above Rianu’s ear. “Did you make that yourself?” 

Rianu seems to become lucid again, giggling. “I did, in fact. And you’ve just set my heart ‘aflutter’ with your kind words.” Her mouth sinks into a troubled frown. “Hmm, that sounded better in my head… Oh well.” She brushes it off just as quickly. “I look forward to getting to know you both and seeing your colors as well.” 

“Same here,” I reply. “Nice to meet you.” Sachiko nods in agreement. But Rianu is already flouncing away, as if forgetting we were ever there. I watch her go with a slightly helpless sigh. _She’s totally lost in her own world._ I can only hope for her safety, before turning to Sachiko. “So, which hallway first?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, finally got everyone's designs up and ready to go! I will post them on my dA as they're needed for story purposes, and link them here. Now that I've got those ready, I hope my writing of the introductions will be more consistent. If anyone reading has any feedback, please let me know, as it's my first time writing a story of this caliber. :)


	4. Prologue: Kaname, Junichi, Hanzawa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Down the purple hall, Shiori and Sachiko discover the Supply Store, and a few small conflicts arise.

We decide to proceed down the purple hall first. I listen for sounds as we pass by each closed room, but to no avail. Sachiko tries jiggling a few of the doorknobs, but none of them yield. She shakes her head and looks more irritable with each attempt. We keep walking until we find a much larger facility to our left, a set of glass doors revealing shelves packed with books, snacks and utensils. _The supply store,_ I think. _Now we’re getting somewhere…_

“Shiori,” Sachiko pipes up suddenly, “Do you hear that?” 

“Hear wh-” I cut myself off. From inside the supply store, two tense-sounding voices are conversing with each other. I can’t hear what they’re saying, but I can tell it’s an argument. I glance toward Sachiko, and give her a nod to follow me inside before walking toward the doors. They slide open automatically as soon as we approach, and I can hear more clearly.

“You can’t take those just because the store-owner’s not here,” a male voice scolds. 

“The store was open, wasn’t it?” Another guy’s voice, this one sounding sharper and higher, retorts. “Besides, who’s gonna miss a couple of gel pens?” 

“Why do you even need them anyway?” the first speaker asks incredulously. 

“No reason- yet. Why are you getting so worked up about it?”

I turn the corner into one of the aisles and find the source of the quarrel. Two boys, one tall, blond, and spectacled, the other shorter with spiky, red hair, are standing in the middle of the corridor. Neither of them notice us when we come toward them. The taller one sighs irritably. “You’re the kind of person who does things just because you think you can get away with it, aren’t you?”

The redhead scoffs. “Better than being a high-and-mighty prick who gets off on bossing others around.” 

“Excuse me... Are we interrupting something?” I decide to speak up. 

Both of them whirl around toward us, surprised. The blond boy’s face flushes. “Ah, see?” he says. “I knew we weren’t the only ones here.” 

“Bite me, bird-boy,” the other snipped. 

“Bird… boy?” I couldn’t help but question.

“I should apologize.” The blond boy steps forward, looking sheepish. “That was a pretty terrible first impression. Let me start over.” He extended a hand. “My name is [Kaname Yuuma](https://www.deviantart.com/maridaydragon/art/DR-UO-Kaname-Yuuma-846250979). It’s nice to meet you both.”

“Nice to-”

“Heeey, ‘sup guys!” The redhead chimes in, beaming now. “Name’s [Junichi Akai](https://www.deviantart.com/maridaydragon/art/DR-UO-Junichi-Akai-846250356)! And I don’t mean to brag-” 

“I wouldn’t count on that,” Kaname mutters under his breath. 

“-but I’m pretty well-known as the Ultimate Daredevil!” Junichi declares, not paying any attention. “You know why that is?” 

_The Ultimate Daredevil…_ Then it hits me. I remember seeing his face before on TV and the internet. “You’re known for your stunts? You’ve done some pretty insane stuff.” 

“Death-defying!” Junichi strikes a dramatic pose, almost hitting Kaname by accident. “That’s what people call my line of work, and it’s really the best word for it. Parkour from building to building! Tightroping across a pit of burning flames! Diving from plane to raging rapids!” He punches the air to accentuate each dangerous deed. “You can bet I’ve done it all, and what’s more, I survived without so much as a broken bone!”

I find myself reeling just hearing all that. _That’s insane! Is one person really capable of all that, let alone a high-school student?_

“Holy crap!” Sachiko seems to agree with me. “If you can really do that stuff, you’re definitely an Ultimate!” 

“Hell yeah!” Junichi’s grin spread widely across his face. “And don’t you forget it!” He starts to fidget, stepping from foot to foot as if expecting to take off any second. “Damnit, now I’m getting pumped up! How long before we’re allowed outside? I want to get moving!” 

Kaname looks more exasperated the longer Junichi talks. “There’s just no point risking your life for others’ amusement. I’ll never understand it.” 

“Well, what about you?” I ask him. “Seeing as how he called you bird-boy.” 

“Ah, right. Well, it makes sense to call me that, I guess,” replies Kaname. “You see, I’m the Ultimate Falcon Trainer. Sadly, my trusted partner isn’t with me at the moment,” he adds, with an air of disappointment. “Otherwise, I would love to have you meet him. He’s very sociable.” 

“Your partner?” questions Sachiko. “You mean…”

“My prized falcon,” he answers, face glowing. “Plato is incredibly well-trained. Falcons have a reputation for being dangerous and cold-blooded, but really, they’re just like any other animal,” he explains. “You only need the skills and time to care for them, and they become as docile as any other household pet.”

“Come on, you can just admit it, okay?” Junichi cuts in, noticing the pride in Kaname’s tone. “You want to show off a little too, right?” 

Kaname folds his arms. “I wouldn’t call it ‘showing off…’ For one, I wouldn’t be doing it to scratch some masochistic itch as a plea for attention.”

Junichi’s face goes scarlet. “What’s that supposed to mean? What, you think you’re better than me?” 

I sense another fight coming on, and quickly interject, “Uh, anyway, it was nice to meet you both!” I then whisper to Sachiko, “We should go.” 

Together, we back out of the store and leave them to it. The glass doors smoothly slide shut, blocking out the firestorm before it can reach us. I exchange looks with Sachiko, and she just shrugs. “Well, that’s going to get interesting later,” she remarks. 

I notice she’s talking through a mouthful of food, and she’s got a candy bar in her hand. “When did you even grab that?” I ask, not sure whether to be impressed or disappointed in Sachiko’s lack of self-control. 

Sachiko just smirks. “I’m an expert at this sort of thing.” She wipes crumbs from her mouth with a dramatic motion. 

Then, a thumping sound comes from around the corner, and we both jump. It’s followed by an angry shout. “Come on! Work, damn you!”

We hurry to see what’s happening, and find a ginger-haired girl glaring down a slightly crooked vending machine. Inside, a bag of cookies dangles precariously from its shelf. She kicks the machine in frustration, causing another resounding thump, but the bag doesn’t budge. “Ugh, it just won’t go! I’m definitely getting a refund for this later.” she fumes. She turns around, then spots us standing nearby. “Oh, thank goodness! You guys wouldn’t be able to help me, would you?”

Sachiko’s eyes gleam. “Stand back, I got this.” 

She steps up to the machine, and promptly starts to tilt it back and forth. Soon, the bag falls loose and drops down into the opening, where the other girl hurries to pick it up. “Yes, finally!” She springs up to shake Sachiko’s hand, gazing at us both. “You’ve just made a friend for life! [Hanzawa Saisho](https://www.deviantart.com/maridaydragon/art/DR-UO-Hanzawa-Saisho-846251308), Ultimate Matchmaker, at your service whenever you may need her!” 

“I didn’t even do anything…” I point out. “And Ultimate Matchmaker, huh?” 

“That’s right!” Hanzawa grins at me. “You’ve probably heard of my business, Convergence, before?” 

“I’m afraid not,” I admit. “I don’t really have an interest in that kind of thing.” 

Hanzawa seems undeterred. “Most people say the same thing, but I can promise you, 98 percent of customers who come to me leave satisfied with a partner for life! So if you ever change your mind…” 

“I’ll definitely keep that in mind, thank you,” I reply. I say that, but I secretly doubt I’d make use of her talents. But I have to admit, 98% satisfaction rate is no small feat if it’s true. “I’m Shiori Akiyama,” I introduce myself, “and this is Sachiko Sugitani.”

“So you basically pair people up if you think they look cute together, and you get paid for it?” comments Sachiko. “That sounds fun! Where can I sign up for this?” 

Hanzawa’s face suddenly breaks out into a scowl. “I don’t pair people up because it’s ‘fun,’ or because they ‘look cute together.’ My job is to help form lifelong relationships, and it’s not as easy as it sounds!” she snaps. “I work hard to do what I do!” 

Sachiko shrinks back, shame-faced. “Oh.. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.” 

Hanzawa gives a long exhale of breath. “I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have yelled. It’s just… I have to put up with people saying this kind of thing a lot, and it gets to me, y’know?” 

“Well… It really does sound like it takes a lot of effort, the way you’ve explained it,” Sachiko tries to reassure her. 

Hanzawa smiles. “You bet it does. But it’s all worth it to see the smiling faces of my clients!” She winks at us. “Who knows? You might see for yourself soon enough.” 

I can’t help but return her grin. There’s no doubt she has a passion for her work, and I definitely feel a bit of kinship in that. We bid her a friendly goodbye and continue down the hall. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realize I've unofficially fallen into a routine of releasing these on Sunday... Huh. XD Well, I hope to post more frequently, but if not, I guess that's a good deadline to fall back on! Please do leave feedback if you have some, I would love to know people are reading :)


	5. Prologue: Utano, Kaemon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiori and Sachiko find their way to the blue hall, and into the oddly elegant library. What can be found here?

The walls around us slowly change color, as the violet wallpaper ebbs away to a baby blue. With the lack of directional pointers, the transition of hues remains the only sign I have that Sachiko and I might be getting somewhere, until we finally come across a door marked with a plaque that reads “Library.” The door is a deep, extravagant blue, and it looks like it should be the entrance to a temple rather than an archive for books in a school.  _ Even this is weird… Is this really supposed to be Hope’s Peak?  _ I question not for the first time, and certainly not the last. Nevertheless, I push the door open.

The library is silent except for a dull rumble I assume is the air conditioning. It feels eerie inside, with several books out of place and strewn unceremoniously across the floor, and blank papers scattered under the tables as if they were hastily kicked out of sight. I look up as a sharp noise breaks through the quiet atmosphere, and turn to see a girl sitting at a table, focused on the notebook in front of her and tapping her pencil lightly on the desk. At first, I think she doesn’t notice us, but she suddenly turns and asks, “When you think of the moon, what words come to mind?” 

Taken aback, I reply, “The moon? Uh, well… Let’s see.” I rack my brain. “Silver… tranquil, maybe?”

“Huge!” Sachiko blurts. “Oh, oh, astronauts!”

“Glowing… gleaming…”

“ALIENS!”

The girl giggles, writing our suggestions down. “Sorry if that was kind of random,” she says. “But thank you for your help regardless. Collaboration with others really helps me get my ideas flowing.” Her smile and tone are warm and ca lmly welcoming. She rises from her seat and gives us a small bow. “My name is [Utano Jomei](https://www.deviantart.com/maridaydragon/art/DR-UO-Utano-Jomei-847045412?ga_submit_new=10%3A1593399084), the Ultimate Poet. And you are?” 

“Oh, it was no problem,” I assure her. “I’m Shiori Akiyama, and…” I glance over to Sachiko, who is gazing at Utano with wide, enraptured eyes. I snap my fingers in front of her face to try and break her trance. 

She seems to jolt to attention. “Uh, yeah, and I’m Sachiko! Hi. Yeah. That’s me.” She stops for a beat, before hurriedly adding a meek “Nice to meet you.”

Utano laughs quietly. “Likewise. I’m happy to have had a bit of conversation since I arrived here. This library may be grand, but I’ve pretty much been on high-alert up until now.” 

“Well, that’s not such a bad thing,” I say. “We’ve been looking around, trying to gather as much information as we could. From what we can see, every one trapped in here so far is some kind of Ultimate.”

Utano nods along. “Right. I ran into a boy earlier in the library, and while I didn’t get much from him, he did tell me he was an Ultimate student as well. And I started exploring myself, but this place just got to be too dizzying for me,” she sighs, dismayed. “Eventually, I had to just start writing to calm my nerves.” 

“Did you see a plush dog at any point?” asks Sachiko. “Shiori says she ran into one.”

“No, I…” Utano blinks. “What?”

“Don’t worry about it, not yet anyway,” I cut in. “I’m glad you’re also trying to help.”

Utano smiles. “Even if it’s not much, I’d like to be as helpful as I can to everyone else.”

“You’ll be great!” Sachiko exclaims without thinking. When both pairs of eyes turn to her, she backtracks, face flushed. “Um, I’m sure you’ll help... So just keep up the good work.”

Utano considers Sachiko for a moment as if trying to figure her out, then responds, “Well, thank you. I appreciate your vote of confidence.”

‘No problem.” Sachiko briefly glances toward me, seeking reassurance. I grin at her slightly, and gesture for us to leave. Once we make our way into one of the aisles of books, out of Utano’s earshot, I ask with a nudge, “So what was up with you back there?” 

Sachiko’s face immediately grows red, and she nestles her head into her fluffy hood as if trying to hide. “I don’t know what got into me! But she was just so nice, and graceful… and I felt like I could have talked to her all day.”

“You’ll have plenty of time to get to know her better,” I remind her gently. “After all, if we’re right about this, you two are classmates now.” 

Sachiko’s mouth turns up in a thoughtful grin. “You know what, you’re right!” 

Freshly invigorated, she rushes through the library. I have no choice but to pick up the pace in order to keep up with her, seeking for anything useful along the way. When I catch up with Sachiko, she’s come to a halt in front of a dimly lit corner full of beanbags. Resting on one is a pale boy who’s leaning back with his eyes closed, earbuds in and listening deeply to music from the mp3 player in his hand.  _ Is this who Utano was talking about earlier? It doesn’t look like he wants to be disturbed, so should I hold off for now? _

But before I can make a decision, Sachiko approaches the boy. “Wait, hold on-” I try to warn her, but she’s already tapping him on the shoulder. 

The boy leaps up from his spot like he’d been struck by lightning. “Aah! Who’s there?” He steadies the glasses on his face, peering out at us nervously. “Oh.. right. Right. You guys are students too, huh? Well, I mean… Obviously you’re… what else would it- would you be?”

He shakes his head hopelessly. “Oh god, I’m just making this worse. Um, well… So my name’s [Kaemon Tokuda](https://www.deviantart.com/maridaydragon/art/DR-UO-Kaemon-Tokuda-847045572?ga_submit_new=10%3A1593399178)…”

“Kaemon Tokuda, huh?” I try to sound as friendly as possible, to calm his nerves. 

“Uh huh.” Kaemon wraps his earbuds around his music player and stores it away. “But you might- um, if you do know me at all… it’s probably as Novakane.”

Sachiko’s eyes widen. “Are you serious? You’re  _ the _ Ultimate EDM Artist?”

“Heh, yeah…” Kaemon adjusts the collar of his hoodie. “Most people are surprised by that when they actually meet me.”

“Sachiko’s been a big fan of your music for a long time,” I explain. 

“‘Big fan’ doesn’t even begin to describe it!” Sachiko chimes in, beaming at Kaemon. “I play your songs all the time, but I never thought I would actually get to meet you! You're amazing!” 

Kaemon’s face turned a deep scarlet. “Ah, well, that’s…” He fumbles with his words for a few moments. “Oh my god. That’s really… that means a lot…”

“Anytime! Hey, what are you doing in the library by yourself anyway?” Sachiko asks him. 

“Oh, well… It’s kinda lame, but… I got lost. And, I guess I just wound up here.” Kaemon gestures around matter-of-factly. “... So I just put my music on to try and calm down. Well, not  _ my  _ music, but y’know, my music playlist.” He holds up his mp3 player as if to demonstrate. 

“Well, I can’t fault you for that,” I say.  _ Anyone would get lost in this damn place.  _

“So!” Sachiko butts in, oblivious. “This is Shiori Akiyama, and I’m Sachiko Sugitani! But you can just call me your number-one fan!”

Kaemon blushes once more and tries to hide his face from view, stuttering twice as much as before. “Aw, n-no… That’s not… I-I really… You don’t need to…”

“Alright, Sachiko, that’s enough,” I interrupt, giving Kaemon a chance to breathe. “You’re going to smother the poor guy.” I pull her away, saying over my shoulder as we leave, “It was nice meeting you! We’d better get going before Sachiko asks you to sign her forehead or something.” 

With that, I practically drag Sachiko out of the library. She gives me a burning glare, to which I reply, “You’ll see him again, don’t worry.” 

“Can you believe it, though?” Sachiko bounces up and down. “I’m going to school with my musical idol! This just keeps getting better!”

I’m tempted to remind her that we are still in a potentially dangerous situation, but I decide to leave it for the time being. We would have time to make plans once we’d figured out the full size and scale of what we were up against. “Looks like you really struck gold here,” I say instead.

“But it’s a shame he’s not more confident…” Sachiko’s eyes drifted back toward the strangely regal library door. “So many people love his music… I’d be basking in the glory if it were me!”

“It’s not always that simple,” I tell her as the hall empties out into a larger corridor. Three distinctly-marked classrooms are visible on our right, and to my surprise, the first two are slightly open. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God, this is going to be difficult to keep up going forward! I hope I can still maintain consistency in writing. If anyone's got any tips for staying consistent, please let me know!


End file.
